


Partners

by prpl_pen



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Alternate Timeline, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-10 01:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12287958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prpl_pen/pseuds/prpl_pen
Summary: After Mami is killed by a witch, Madoka and Sayaka face some tough challenges. Thankfully, they won't have to face them alone.





	Partners

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rubylily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/gifts).



> Thank you to printfogey for the beta.

They paused just beyond the door after entering. Normally Madoka would politely apologize for the intrusion here. Instead she slipped out of her shoes in silence, keeping her gaze low. That first glimpse of the room seemed so familiar, the fading light of sunset streaming in through the west window and painting everything in a wash of reddish orange. Everything looked just the same as it did the first time she’d been here. Of course it did. That had been less than a week ago, after all.

Madoka felt a lump forming in her throat. It had probably been a mistake to come here; this was _her_ place after all, so by necessity every little thing about it was a reminder of her. Mami's place--or it _had_ been, Madoka reminded herself, prompting a fresh welling of tears. She brought up the heel of one hand to scrub against her eyes, pressing a little too hard, as if she could stop the tears with force alone.

“Hey. Hey...” Sayaka’s voice was hushed, still a little scratchy from her own earlier crying jag. Madoka could tell her friend felt just as unsure as she did, though she was trying not to let it show. Sayaka reached out and placed a hand on Madoka’s shoulder, gripping just a little too tightly as she pulled her friend closer in a clumsy one-armed hug. “Should we leave? Would you rather go home? Or...?”

Madoka shook her head. “No. If I’m going to cry, it’s better to let it out here.” That had been the plan, anyway. If Madoka went home now, there would be questions about the tears that kept flowing. Questions, she was sure, would just bring more tears, and she had no way to explain the reason for them to her father. He would tell her mother when she got home, and that would mean more questions and more tears, and... Madoka shook her head again softly. She felt Sayaka’s weight shift just the smallest bit, hesitating. Then a long moment later, the arm around her back exerted just the slightest pressure, and Madoka stepped forward obligingly, beginning to sniffle.

Sayaka guided her to the small couch and they sat, though Madoka didn’t really register it, nor her friend’s continued embrace. There was just the vague feeling of warmth, Sayaka’s body pressed close to hers, hugging with both arms now as her vision blurred anew and her sniffles grew a bit stronger. Madoka couldn’t be sure how long they sat like that, her tears falling freely now as Sayaka silently hugged her. She only came to herself at the ticklish whisper of long fur against the back of her calves--Kyubey’s tail. He’d been silent for a long time now, and indeed, she’d forgotten his presence entirely until that subtle reminder.

It made her cry harder, sniffles turning to sobs.

“Wha--hey, Madoka...” She could tell by Sayaka’s voice that she was taken aback by the sudden change. “Shh. Don’t...don’t worry, okay? It’ll be...”

It felt unfair, making Sayaka bear the weight of her grief like this, especially since Sayaka had already done so much. If she hadn’t contracted with Kyubey then, none of them might be alive now, and yet Madoka...

She reached up and grasped Sayaka’s wrist, squeezing, trying to ground herself. “Sayaka-chan, I’m sorry. I’m sorry...”

She meant to apologize for her own hesitation. For making Sayaka have to face that terrible witch alone, that horrible creature that had killed Mami-san right before their eyes. When the impossible happened, when Mami fell, Sayaka had contracted with Kyubey immediately and saved them both. She had even gotten hurt in the process, though true to Kyubey’s promise, with the power of a magical girl, she’d also recovered completely in a matter of minutes. But Madoka--she’d felt frozen. Unable to think, unable to act. For all her grand dreams of saving people as a magical girl, she hadn’t even been able to muster up the courage to wish when she needed to most. She couldn’t do anything, couldn't even look away from that red spot on the ground where Mami had fallen.

She meant to apologize for all that, but all that would come out were tears and sobs of, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry...”

Then she felt Sayaka’s arms around her tighten. “Madoka, you shouldn’t-- _I’m_ the one who should be sorry!” Sayaka turned her head, pressing her brow against the side of Madoka’s head. “If I just...if I didn’t wait so long, we could’ve fought it together. If it wasn’t for me, Mami would still be here!” Sayaka’s voice cracked a bit. Those angry tears back at the hospital hadn’t been the end of it for her, either.

Something about that flipped a switch in Madoka. It already felt unbalanced, letting Sayaka comfort her. She refused to let her friend blame herself, not when she’d been the brave one. Tears were still flowing from her own eyes, but Madoka calmed her sobs, reaching up to stroke the back of Sayaka’s head with one hand, smoothing down the hair like her mother did for her when she was upset.

“No. Stop. Don’t you dare blame yourself.” The words were almost harsh, but delivered in a whispered, soothing tone. Madoka shifted slightly on the couch, angling her body toward Sayaka and wrapping her other arm around her friend’s back. “You were amazing, Sayaka-chan! You saved me. If anyone’s to blame for Mami, it’s me. I couldn’t even--”

Sayaka straightened a bit in Madoka’s embrace, pulling back a little, shaking her head. “I...no one could ever blame you, Madoka. After seeing Mami like that--” Her voice choked up, and Madoka looked up for the first time in a while to see Sayaka’s face contort as she tried to hold back her own tears.

She leaned forward again to hug Sayaka tighter. “You saw her too, and you still...”

It suddenly seemed like a useless game of tennis, only instead of hitting a ball back and forth, they were each pulling the blame to themselves, sending back apologies to the other half of the court. The thought was a silly one that seemingly came out of nowhere, and yet it was enough to make Madoka giggle somehow. Just a small one, and rather humorless, but it seemed to break the tension a bit.

Sayaka let out a sigh, leaning back against the couch and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “...yeah." There was a long pause, and Madoka wondered whether her ill-timed laughter had offended. She held her breath, close to babbling out another apology and an attempt to explain, when Sayaka finally continued, proving there was no need. "It’s a pretty dumb thing to fight over, right?” So it seemed somehow she’d known what Madoka’s giggle had meant.

“I’ll get some tissues.” Sayaka nodded, looking exhausted and perhaps a bit relieved that Madoka had offered. The worst of Madoka’s own tears had passed, though she still sniffled a bit as she rose from the couch to fetch the tissues from Mami’s bathroom. She had to look, to pay attention to where she was going, but maybe she was too wrung-out now, because the ache in her chest didn’t grow any worse at the sight of Mami’s apartment and all of her things.

Even remembering the conversation she’d had with Mami just before they’d met Sayaka at the center of the witch’s labyrinth prompted no more than a small squeezing sensation in her heart. She’d promised Mami, hadn’t she? And the older girl had been so touched by Madoka’s words.

She paused at the sink to run some water, splashing her face with it. The girl who stared back at her from the mirror had a pale face, still red and puffy around the eyes and nose with crying. Madoka examined that face for a long moment, steeling her resolve.

By the time she returned, tissues in hand, Sayaka looked much calmer, only her pink eyes and a couple of wet tracks on her cheeks giving away the fact that’d she’d also been crying a few minutes ago. “Thanks,” Sayaka murmured, taking the offered tissue and bringing it up to dab her face, finally blowing her nose when she was done.

“Listen, Sayaka-chan...” Madoka stood primly in front of the couch, lacing her fingers together as her friend looked up at her. “I need you to help me think of a good wish.”

“Huh?” The expression on Sayaka’s face was so comical that despite everything, Madoka couldn’t help but giggle again.

She raised one hand to stave off the protests she knew were coming. “I’ve made up my mind. I promised Mami-san, after all, and...” She wavered for a moment, but pressed on before the tears could well up again. “Even though I couldn’t keep my promise with Mami-san, I won’t let you face this alone either. After all, you’re my best friend, and I think this is something we should do together.”

Sayaka’s expression as she listened to her speak convinced Madoka once and for all that this was the right choice. Her friend always tried to play it tough and act as if nothing really bothered her, but the naked relief shone undisguised on her face at Madoka’s words. This was hard for both of them, and being magical girls would be harder still, but if they did it _together_ then it was bound to be easier to bear between them.

There was a flash of white fur as Kyubey leaped to the back of the couch from wherever he’d been silently observing until now. _I’m glad you’ve made up your mind, Madoka,_ came his silent voice in their heads. _I’m sure that the two of you will be an unbelievably powerful team!_ He tilted his head a little, his button-bright eyes staring unblinking at her.

“Ahh...give me a little more time to think of my wish, though, all right?” Madoka felt her cheeks grow a little warmer. Even though she’d made up her mind for sure to do it, it was a little embarrassing that the right wish still eluded her.

“This time tomorrow.” Sayaka pointed, standing. “That’s your deadline.”

Madoka’s blush deepened. “I won’t need _that_ much time.”

Sayaka only laughed, sounding almost like her usual self again.

***

A towel wrapped around hair still damp from her bath, Madoka opened her bedroom door.

“Well?” Sayaka dropped the magazine she’d been reading to her lap, leaning forward from her place on Madoka’s bed. She’d bathed first, being the guest. Her parents had been fine with her staying the night with school the next morning, even on such short notice. Sayaka’s parents were like that, carefree and easygoing.

“Eheh...” Madoka raised her hand, fingers slightly splayed to show off the new ring on her middle finger. The pink gem flashed, catching the light.

Sayaka whooped, jumping up and giving Madoka a hug. “Sorry I wasn’t much help picking out a wish. All my ideas were kinda dumb, huh?” The pajamas she was wearing, a pair borrowed from Madoka’s mother, hung loose on her frame, making her almost seem younger than she was. “What did you go with?”

Madoka shook her head, feeling oddly self-conscious. “Let me dry my hair first.”

Sayaka obliged, seeming to sense her friend wasn’t quite ready to talk about that yet. She trotted back to the bed and retrieved the magazine from where it had fallen, trying to smooth out a few bent pages while Madoka toweled her damp hair dry and began to brush it out. Kyubey jumped to his customary place, a shelf hung on the wall behind Madoka’s bed that was filled with various stuffed animals. His bushy tail swished lazily from side to side, as he silently surveyed the room; it wasn't as if his face showed much emotion, but as Madoka laid her brush down on the bureau, she had the distinct impression he was feeling very pleased right now.

It probably just meant she’d made the right choice; that she and Sayaka would work well together as magical girls, just as Kyubey had said earlier. He’d said once when she first met him that she showed great promise, or something to that effect, and Madoka was sure that if _she_ had good potential, Sayaka’s must be even greater. Sayaka was braver than her, with a strong sense of justice; she’d always been more athletic and better at sports, too. Being a magical girl wasn’t a _game_ , of course, but it seemed to follow that excelling at those sorts of things meant she’d be better at fighting witches, too.

Still, the fact that they’d lost Mami only hours before made Madoka feel a twinge of pique at Kyubey’s seemingly bright spirits. She knew she was being irrational, and perhaps a little mean-spirited, but she suddenly didn’t want to be around him right now.

“Kyubey,” she began, flipping off the overhead light as she paced toward her bed, “can you let Sayaka-chan and I talk by ourselves for now?” Though phrased as a question, she didn’t give him much opportunity to refuse, immediately sliding one of her bedroom windows open a few inches. She saw Sayaka raise an eyebrow quizzically as she pushed herself over to the far side of the bed to make room for Madoka.

 _Of course,_ came Kyubey’s mild reply. A moment later, he was slipping through the open window and disappearing into the night. Madoka felt a little ashamed of sending him away, but he didn’t seem offended at all, and she knew that he’d come back before morning.

Now she saw Sayaka watching her with a face that seemed expectant, though not eager. Madoka drew back the coverlet and slipped beneath, reaching up to turn off her bedside lamp without a word.

In the sudden darkness, she could hear Sayaka draw in a slow breath as she tucked herself in as well. “...Well?”

There was a nuance in her friend’s tone that let Madoka know that she wasn’t just asking after her wish right now. It was appreciated.

She lay there in silence for a little longer, twisting the corner of the bed sheet in her hands. Madoka had thought it might be easier to talk once the lights were out. Something about the harsh glow of an electric bulb tonight seemed to cut everything into angles and sharp edges; not painful, but too real and well-defined. It made it difficult to find the words.

The darkness--no, the absence of light--did help a little. It softened the edges of things, so that concepts already nebulous and ill-defined could exist without being forced. It also allowed other things, forgotten in the light, to creep closer once more.

“Sayaka-chan?” Madoka surprised herself a little with the question that came out before the other things she meant to talk about. “...what did it feel like? When you made your wish, and Kyubey--?”

“Um.” The bedspring creaked gently as Sayaka shifted on her side to face Madoka. “It all happened so fast. I don’t know if I can really describe it.”

“Was it cold?” Madoka turned her cheek to rest against her pillowcase. Her eyes now adjusted to the dim light, she saw Sayaka’s brow furrow at the question. “Because when I made my contract it...wasn’t what I expected, I suppose.” That was understating things, and they both knew it. Madoka hadn’t really known _what_ to expect.

“It sort of...hurt, I think? But it was quick, and I was already so scar--” Sayaka cleared her throat hastily, barreling forward to cover the fact that she’d almost admitted weakness, even though it wasn’t really a weakness at all. Anyone would have been frightened. Madoka had been terrified. “But for you it was cold?”

“...it hurt too. Just for a few seconds, but it felt like someone reached inside of me and... _squeezed_ , so hard I couldn’t breathe. Maybe I only noticed because I was in the tub and the water was so warm, but for a second it was like everything warm just...went away.” Madoka began to shrug, but her body shivered involuntarily as if in memory of that absolute absence of warmth. More accurately, she’d felt then not so much that the water had abruptly cooled, but that _she_ had.

Sayaka wriggled a little closer to her in bed, reaching out beneath the covers to take one of Madoka’s hands. “Hey, well, you feel okay now. Warm.” She wiggled her finger against the back of Madoka’s hand. It didn’t tickle, but it made Madoka smile.

“Yes.” She clapped her other hand on top of Sayaka’s with a small giggle. “You too.” She thought Sayaka would laugh and pull her hand away, but her friend was still, looking towards her face with eyes that weren’t quite focused. Madoka let her hands stay where they were too, feeling oddly calmed by the contact. Now was probably the time to bring up what she’d settled on as her wish. In the end, she still hadn’t been completely satisfied with it, but of all the options she’d mulled over, it had seemed like the least frivolous--though she still suspected Mami would have said it was naïve.

Before she could open her mouth to speak, however, Sayaka filled the silence. “Hey, Madoka? Thank you. Really.” Sayaka dropped her gaze, as she blinked, no longer meeting Madoka’s eyes. “For doing this with me. After what happened, I thought there was no way you’d ever want to--I’d never ask you to!” As if to emphasize her words, Sayaka’s grip tightened a bit, squeezing Madoka’s hand gently. “But, I was...scared. Doing this alone would be...” Madoka saw her blink again, hard, and though Sayaka’s eyes were still hidden beneath her lashes, she could see they had grown a bit damp.

She wiggled closer, lifting her free hand to slip it around Sayaka’s back, using that hug to pull them closer still. “You aren’t alone.” Madoka’s forehead pressed lightly against Sayaka in the gap between their pillows. “I’d never allow it.”

Speaking those words, despite any earlier doubt she might have felt, Madoka knew them to be absolutely true.

***

From the dawning of the next day, it was painfully obvious that while they’d undergone a profound change that they had yet to fully grasp, the rest of the world continued just as before, unaware, and content in it. Madoka’s father cooked up a tasty breakfast that the two of them ate in silence, save for the occasional polite response to a question about school. If Madoka’s parents felt that there was something odd about the girls’ subdued demeanor, neither of them showed it. Hitomi-chan’s chatter on their walk to school seemed meaningless, and if asked about it, Madoka wouldn’t have been able to say what their friend had been talking about, not even moments after hearing her words.

It was only the strange transfer student who knew something had changed. Akemi Homura, who seemed indifferent to everyone else in class, but who’d had her eyes on Madoka from the moment she’d transfered in. She was a magical girl as well, though Madoka hadn’t known that at first. It wasn’t until last week, when Akemi-san confronted Mami as she took the two of them with her to patrol for witches, that Madoka discovered that truth. The fact that she’d seemingly only wanted to warn them off from contracting as well had been further baffling, until later that evening when Mami explained that Akemi seemed to see other magical girls as rivals. Even then, Madoka couldn’t truly understand the logic of it.

Somehow, Akemi could see right away what had happened. As they entered the classroom that morning, she saw Akemi-san’s eyes widen slightly at the sight of them, before her brow furrowed deeply and she tore her gaze away almost violently. Madoka thought it was strange; Akemi had seemed angry at first, but she could almost swear the look on the other girl’s face had moved quickly into a profound sorrow before it was hidden by the curtain of her long black hair.

Madoka knew she hadn’t learned anything at all in class that first day after contracting. It was impossible to even hear their teachers’ words, much less retain them. She was too keyed up, nervous and eager and terrified at the same time, aching for the final bell to ring even as she dreaded it. She and Sayaka would be going on their first patrol as magical girls. Their first patrol without Mami to guide and protect them. Madoka was determined to honor their senpai’s memory, all the while afraid it would prove too daunting a task. The glances she exchanged with Sayaka throughout the day revealed she seemed to be going through much the same thing as the hours ticked by with painful slowness.

Finally, the hour arrived, and she and Sayaka gave a quick excuse to Hitomi and rushed off campus together. Kyubey was with them, of course, riding comfortably on Madoka’s shoulder as they withdrew their soul gems and began their first patrol as magical girls.

After the long day of tension, Madoka thought it seemed anticlimactic when they didn’t run into a witch straight away, though she couldn’t help but feel a little relieved as well.

Sayaka shaded her eyes against the late afternoon sun. “What do you think? Maybe we should head over the bridge?”

 _You’ll cover more ground if you split up,_ Kyubey pointed out helpfully.

Madoka exchanged a look with Sayaka. “That’s true, but...”

Sayaka nodded. “Right. I think we better stick together until we get the hang of this.”

Kyubey was unperturbed. _You’ll find something soon enough. A familiar, if not a witch. Mami was more diligent than most, but even she couldn’t stamp them out completely._ Madoka felt another small squeeze in her chest as he mentioned Mami so casually, as if she hadn’t been killed just the day before. She focused her attention on her soul gem, trying to pick up the trail of a witch. She couldn’t avenge Mami, but she was determined to do her memory honor by carrying on her heroic work.

It was growing dark, sunset long past and twilight fading, when Sayaka broke Madoka’s concentration with a defeated sigh.

“I think we might have to call it a night, Madoka,” she said, scrubbing a hand over her face. “It’s already getting pretty late, and we still have to go back.”

Madoka wanted to protest, to bargain for just fifteen minutes more to continue their search, but she could see the frustration plain as day on Sayaka’s face. She didn’t want to give up yet either, but she was forcing herself to be the responsible one, for Madoka’s sake. She nodded. “All right.” She pasted a smile onto her face that surely didn’t reach her eyes. “Tomorrow we’ll find one for sure!”

All in all, it was an anticlimactic and vexatious end to the day.

 

The next day was a Saturday, so at least the day’s classes were over more quickly, though the day still crawled. Madoka was half-afraid that they might be confronted by Akemi-san, but the transfer student had been absent today. Hitomi went straight home on Saturdays to spend time with her family, so that was one less excuse to make. They’d have more time for patrolling with classes letting out earlier in the day, but Madoka knew that Sayaka had a place she liked to go most Saturdays after school, and considering the circumstances, it was a detour she expected Sayaka to take today for sure.

“We’ve got more time today, so would you like to go visit Kamijo-kun before we...” Madoka let her sentence trail off, knowing Sayaka would know what she meant. “I’ll wait for you.”

Sayaka grinned, shaking her head as she linked her arm with one of Madoka’s. “Nah, I think we need to tackle our first witch before that!”

“But Sayaka-chan, wasn’t your wish for--?” 

“Shh!” Sayaka looked a little embarrassed, waving one hand in the air to cut Madoka’s words short, even though there was no one around to overhear them.

 _I can guarantee that the boy’s injuries have almost completely healed,_ came Kyubey’s voice in their heads. _In another day’s time, it’ll be as if he were never hurt at all. That’s the power of a contract wish!_

Sayaka rubbed the back of her neck. “I believe you. And I’ll visit him soon, Madoka, I just think this should come first. It’s important.” She locked eyes with Madoka then. _For Mami._

Madoka nodded, and that was that.

They went in a different direction today, south instead of east.The first half-hour or so was wholly uneventful, and Madoka felt a twist of anxiety begin to form in her stomach. _This can’t have been for nothing._ Logically, she knew they must run into a witch or familiar eventually, but the longer it took, the less likely it seemed. As unreal as the events of the previous week or so had been, Madoka had never doubted them to be true after meeting with Kyubey. Now, though, she began to think that if he weren’t still present with them, she might begin to see it as a strange delusion instead. How else to explain the complete absence of the witches they were seeking so dutifully?

Almost as if to mock her for her doubt, Madoka’s soul gem began to glow faintly, picking up the trail of a witch.

From there, it was almost laughably easy. Once they caught the scent, Madoka and Sayaka were able to follow it to the witch’s labyrinth as sure as if they had a map to lead them. Madoka sucked in a sharp breath as her soul gem uncovered the entrance. At long last, they’d arrived at their true first test. She curled her fingers around her soul gem, holding it to her chest. Her heart was beating faster; excitement or fear? Perhaps a bit of both.

She felt the fingers of her left hand forced apart as Sayaka pressed her palm to Madoka’s, lacing her own fingers together with hers in a gesture of almost violent tenderness. She turned her head and Sayaka nodded to her, giving her hand a squeeze. “We can do this, Madoka. Piece of cake!”

Abruptly the hand was snatched back as Sayaka tossed her own soul gem into the air and transformed.

That was probably Madoka’s cue to do the same, but she was transfixed by the sight in front of her. She hadn’t seen it happen before. She hadn’t seen much of _anything_ then but that crumpled body and that terrible red smear...

Madoka shook her head, unable to hold onto those red memories right now. Her eyes and heart were filled with Sayaka, Sayaka and that bright blue beauty that could only be her best friend’s soul shining forth, washing away any pain or fear or doubt in a healing wave of cerulean light. Watching Mami transform had been an awe-inspiring sight, but somehow with Sayaka, it was _more_. Where Mami had been a heroic figure, she had also been a senpai, and, at the time, a virtual stranger. Perhaps that explained the difference. Meanwhile, Madoka had known Sayaka for years; they weren’t just friends, they were _best_ friends. Physically, the transformation changed little besides Sayaka’s clothes, and yet... Madoka’s breath caught in her chest at the sight of her, radiating a power that perhaps had always been there, but hidden. Now it was laid bare, its radiance free to shine on Madoka, and it was glorious.

She must have been staring, because the transformed Sayaka stood before her with a light blush on her cheeks, though she played it off with a laugh, and flapped her hand eagerly in Madoka’s direction. “Your turn!”

Madoka started to protest that now that it was time to actually do it, she didn’t know _how_. The words died on her lips, however, when she felt her body begin to move as if by muscle memory as she raised her own soul gem aloft. She could feel its light wash over her as well, but this was different than what she’d felt with Sayaka. This felt like it was simply a part of her, and the strange sense of power that surged through her was her own as well, not unfamiliar or alien as she’d assumed it must be.

Sayaka was clapping, and laughing a little too. “It really looks just like your drawings, Madoka!”

Laughter bubbled up from Madoka’s lips as well, partly at Sayaka’s words, but also because since transforming, she felt as if she were radiating joy. Was this really what it felt like to be a magical girl? Oh, it was amazing!

 _Well done so far, you two, but don’t forget the real task is still ahead._ Kyubey inclined his head slightly, reaching up with a hind leg to scratch behind his ear like a dog. _Of course, I don’t doubt you’ll find it a simple one._

 

His prediction had been apt. Bolstered by their new-found power, the girls had leapt through the entrance of the labyrinth as one, their earlier anxiety seemingly forgotten. Madoka had wondered at first if she would find it hard to fight; she had no experience with that sort of thing, even in play, but it seemed this was another thing that came automatically to her after her transformation. The newly-formed bow felt natural in her hand as she fired off arrows of magical light without hesitation, and she found she could run faster and leap higher, too. The witch’s minions proved to be no challenge at all as the two made their way to the heart the labyrinth; Madoka soon came to regard them as no more than pesky insects to be swatted away with no more thought than shooing a gnat.

The witch herself was not much worse. In fact, Sayaka, always the more brash of the two, had leapt forward the moment they entered her chamber and finished her off before Madoka could do much more than fire off a few covering arrows. Almost before they knew it, the labyrinth was fading around them, leaving nothing behind but the witch’s grief seed.

“We did it!” Sayaka’s celebratory hug was a little too tight, but Madoka didn’t mind. She hugged back just as fiercely.

 

From there, the once-frightening world of magical girls and witches began to feel much more routine. The two fell into a comfortable rhythm with it over the next few days, patrolling together after school. Sayaka had gone to visit Kamijo on Sunday, and reported back that he would soon be returning home. Kyubey had been right; his injuries had healed up perfectly, leaving the doctors baffled.

“So I’ll be able to see him plenty soon!” Sayaka laughed, waving off Madoka’s protest that they could take a day off every once in a while so she could visit him.

Madoka felt a little worse about making excuses to slip away from Hitomi. The three of them had gone out to eat fast food on Monday after school; a delay of an hour or two wouldn’t hurt their patrolling schedule, after all. Something had felt off about the interaction, however. Hitomi had laughed and chattered about all the same things she always did, but Madoka found it hard to know how to respond, despite trying to act the same with their friend as always. From Sayaka’s stilted laughter and the occasional glance the two exchanged, Madoka could tell she was feeling it too. Hitomi might even have sensed it herself. The gap between them and Hitomi-chan was growing larger, and neither of them knew what to do to fix it. Maybe nothing could be done.

They found a witch’s familiar Monday evening, and this time Sayaka let Madoka finish her off.

***

Sayaka was spending the night again. She did so more often these days, when their patrols kept them out late, or on Saturday when there was no school in the morning. Madoka’s parents didn’t mind as long as Sayaka’s parents didn’t, and they never did.

They’d faced a tough battle earlier today, the first such that they’d come across since contracting with Kyubey. Perhaps they’d become overconfident, after fighting witches that seemed weak before their teamwork. As for Kyubey himself, he’d stopped accompanying them some time ago, probably feeling assured that by now they could handle themselves well enough without his guidance. Madoka hadn’t seen him in days.

Once the lights were turned off, Madoka shivered a little, involuntarily. In patterns of darkness and reflected light on the ceiling of her room, she’d seen a vision of the same witch they’d faced earlier: an inky black scribble of a face, with round red coals for eyes and a distended maw, filled with rows upon rows of crooked, needle-sharp teeth. She closed her eyes, trying to drive the image from her mind.

Sayaka lightly touched her shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”

Madoka nodded, turning toward Sayaka and opening her eyes to let their gazes meet. “Just...remembering.” She sighed, feeling vaguely ashamed to admit what she was about to. “I really thought I was going to die today.”

Sayaka winced. “We just got careless. After fighting so many weaklings, I wasn’t expecting a tough one like that.”

“...do you suppose that’s what happened with Mami-san?” Madoka’s voice dropped to such a small whisper, she wasn’t sure if Sayaka had been able to hear what she said. It was the first time she’d spoken Mami’s name aloud in what felt like a very long time. She hadn’t forgotten her; she could never do that. But as the days went by, the grief of Mami’s loss had grown less sharp, and Madoka had been able to build a sort of shrine to Mami in her heart where she could celebrate the brave, wonderful person she had been, without remembering her horrible end.

The muscles in Sayaka’s jaw worked subtly; Madoka only noticed because she was afraid to look away from her friend’s face. “...probably. But...that won’t happen with us, Madoka!” The hand on Madoka’s shoulder gripped more tightly. “We’ll look out for each other! I’ll protect you, so... so don’t worry!” Sayaka flashed what Madoka was sure was meant as an encouraging smile, but it fell flat. Sayaka’s eyes looked almost frightened.

Madoka’s expression grew concerned. She reached over, meaning to give Sayaka a hug, but seemingly of their own volition, her fingertips found their way to Sayaka’s forehead instead. She brushed some hair back from Sayaka’s temple and let her fingers travel lightly down the side of her face, coming to rest with her palm cupped loosely against Sayaka’s cheek. The motion hadn’t been planned, but Madoka was relieved to see it must have given Sayaka some comfort, as her expression calmed into something more natural and fond. “You’re right, Sayaka-chan. You saved me then, and you saved me today. As long as we’re together, watching over each other...”

Sayaka leaned into Madoka’s hand, closing her eyes softly. Madoka got the sense she was about to say something, so she waited, but Sayaka remained still and silent, the warmth of her cheek pressed into Madoka’s palm.

It seemed wrong to move somehow, as if this were an unfinished moment and it would be best to let it come to its natural conclusion. Still, as the seconds ticked by, Madoka began to feel awkward, frozen in such an oddly intimate pose with her friend. Truth be told, she wanted to pull herself closer to Sayaka, to feel her warmth on more than just her palm, but she began to second-guess herself. Finally, after what seemed like too long, Madoka began to pull her hand back.

To her surprise, Sayaka’s own hand moved up to cover it, to press it back to her cheek. Her eyes opened again, and she met Madoka’s gaze, letting her lips part silently for a moment before finally beginning to speak.

“Hitomi told me yesterday that she was planning to confess to Kyousuke.”

Madoka’s eyes widened a bit. “Oh...oh, Sayaka-chan! I’m sorry. I’m sure if you told Hitomi-chan how you feel, that she’d--”

“It’s fine,” Sayaka cut her before she could finish, but Madoka couldn’t sense the false bravado she’d expect to hear in those words. “Kyousuke’s my friend, but I... I don’t feel that way about him anymore.” Sayaka’s eyes seemed to be searching Madoka’s for something other than the sympathy Madoka knew she was already showing.

The tip of Madoka’s tongue slipped out to moisten her lips. “What changed?” Her voice was a small whisper again as some bright hope began to flutter inside of her. Madoka thought she might know Sayaka’s answer, but she was almost terrified that she might be wrong.

Sayaka looked a little embarrassed, and let her gaze drop. “C’mon. You know. Right?” Sayaka’s hand flexed a little, to give Madoka’s a squeeze.

It was such a small signal, but a significant one. Enough to evaporate the doubt Madoka was feeling and let that hope inside her bloom. Madoka gave in to that earlier desire, wiggling her body close to Sayaka’s beneath the sheets, pressing their foreheads lightly together, so she could feel Sayaka’s breath on her face. “Yes. I know.”

The sigh of relief that Sayaka let out was almost comical in its intensity. “Oh, good. _Great_.” Now she finally moved her hand from atop Madoka’s, reaching out tentatively to let her own fingertips brush Madoka’s cheek. “I thought so, but I’m glad I wasn’t just--”

“Sayaka-chan,” Madoka could feel the corners of her lips turning up; it didn’t matter how hard she tried to school her expression, she couldn’t keep the giddy smile off her face. “You just confessed.”

“Eheh. I don’t know if that really counts.”

Their faces were already so close Madoka couldn’t focus on Sayaka’s expression, but she knew her well enough to know just the type of look she probably had on her face right now: embarrassed, but more than a little pleased with herself. Madoka thought she was entitled to be. Until Sayaka forced her hand, she might not have been able to put a name to this feeling that had been growing between them. Had that been Sayaka’s aim all along when she brought up Hitomi and Kamijo? It must have been.

“It counts.” Madoka’s reply may have been a whisper, but it was still delivered in a tone that brooked no argument.

But just in case Sayaka felt like arguing anyway, Madoka gathered all her courage and tipped up her chin, pressing her lips against Sayaka’s in a clumsy kiss. It felt almost wickedly daring, and she couldn’t help but feel pleased with herself for doing it--all the more so when Sayaka made a small squeak of surprise. Still, she didn’t pull away from it.

It was chaste as kisses went, and rather inelegant. It was still enough for Madoka to feel a sort of warmth seem to radiate from her lips through the rest of her body. When she did break the contact, Madoka pulled back a little further, her hand coming up to cover her face automatically. Her cheeks were blazing, and not just with embarrassment.

She heard Sayaka’s breath catch in her throat before she began to chuckle softly. “Wow. I can’t believe you just did that!” Thankfully, she sounded impressed, not upset.

Madoka spread her fingers enough to peek out at Sayaka through the cracks. “I couldn’t help it.” That was a lie; it had taken effort to make so bold a move. It still felt right to her. They’d shared in the secret of being magical girls, and had supported one another through everything that meant; it seemed only logical that they would grow closer. Madoka had felt their relationship begin to grow and change, but somehow hadn’t been able to see the extent to which it had deepened--not until Sayaka had been brave enough to make the first move with her roundabout confession. It had only seemed natural that Madoka show her beyond the shadow of a doubt how deeply she felt, and a kiss was the best way she could think to do that.

Sayaka reached over, wrapping her fingers around Madoka’s hand to lower it from her face. “C’mon, Madoka. Don’t hide.” Madoka let Sayaka guide her hand down and pull it closer to herself. “I liked it.”

Madoka knew that, as far as kisses went, it hadn’t been a particularly good one. Downright amateur, judging by what she’d seen in media. “I don’t really know how to kiss like they do in the movies.”

“Heh. Me either. But...we’ve got plenty of time to practice.”

***

So it was that they found a new secret to keep between them. Magic and witches, the secret battles they fought to keep the oblivious citizens of their town safe; these were things kept hidden out of necessity.

This was something else entirely. They thought about telling Hitomi-chan--she’d almost predicted it, after all, in a wild flight of fancy when Kyubey had linked them telepathically at school...but it was exactly that same reaction that had them decide against it. Hitomi might have assumed there were romantic feelings between them then, but she hadn’t been happy for them at all, even though it was just a misunderstanding. No, telling her seemed like it would make it less special, less _theirs_. Besides, though they were still friends, neither of them could say they felt as close with Hitomi as they once did. That gap between them had seemingly become insurmountable.

So, though it wasn’t the same sort of secret as being magical girls was, the two things became intertwined out of sheer practicality. They spent most of their free time together. Their earlier plans to patrol separately once they got more confident were long since forgotten. It made more sense to stick together as a team, so they could take care of one another...and if that meant it was also easier to have secret dates in coffee shops before hunting, or that they could share celebratory kisses after defeating a witch, well.

That was just another benefit.


End file.
